b o b

Put me down as one of the heretics who think this album is a little overrated, both in its title of "first prog album" (there are plenty of earlier albums that could arguably be called prog) and in the songs themselves. The only song from this disc that I think is an absolute, must-hear classic is "21st Century Schizoid Man", and even that one has much better live versions available. The rest of the disc is way too lightweight for Crimson, sounding rather soporific and dated. As everyone else mentions, this is an album that all prog fans should hear for historic purposes if nothing else. Just don't expect too much. And for those who don't like the "pointless noodling" section of "Moonchild" - try the Frame By Frame boxed set version where that bit is edited out. review by Bob Eichler — undated —

c o n r a d

When I first purchased this album a number of years ago, I had already been listening to the other classic progressive rock groups for some time. This album didn't grab me at first, and I was hard pressed to see what all the fuss was about. After all, I'd heard it all before. The mellotron arrangements and gentle flute I had heard Genesis do, the silly section of pointless meandering at the end of Moonchild I had heard in "Take a Pebble" by ELP, and I had even heard the song "Epitaph" on Welcome Back My Friends... (again by ELP). But that's just the point. This is the album that set the agenda for the next five years, which were the golden age of progressive rock. So this is an important album, you get that. The next question is, "Is this album worth buying for somebody who is not interested in its historical value?" The answer, for me, is a qualified yes. I prefer most of the classic progressive rock albums to this one, but that doesn't mean that it isn't a good album. The songwriting is strong, and aside from ten minutes of "Moonchild" there is nothing I would consider mediocre. The moods created are very effective, and reminiscent of what was to come, though King Crimson had an agressive streak that nobody was quite able to match. Even with the freshness that this album posessed in 1969 gone a little stale, this is still a worthwhile album. If you don't have it, get it straight away for its historical value, or buy it after Red for its musical value. review by Conrad Leviston — 7-28-03 —

h e a t h e r

For some reason I lump this in with the output from the '72-'74 phase of the band; not quite as avant-garde as that material, but equally progressive, exciting, and somewhat dark. It's hard to decide if the original "21st Century Schizoid Man" is better than the later live versions, or not. Generally the live versions are crushingly heavy and chaotic; but the original studio version, while not quite as aggressive, has other benefits, mainly the extended guitar solos not duplicated live: howling, angular, eerie, perfectly capturing the emotion expressed by the cover. What I find most appealing about this is the perfectly fluid mix of classical, jazz, and rock within one piece. One moment is high-tension dramatics such as the rising pitch motifs of the main guitar/sax riffs, and running guitar lines. Another is all graceful staccato syncopation, crescendo and decrescendo. And yet another, chaotic noise, another, almost bebop sounding riffs. Fascinating. "Epitaph" is also a Crimson classic and I don't find it hard to see why people consider it so, with the dark acoustic guitar arpeggios, swelling volume dynamics, epic Mellotron, and rolling drums; especially interesting is the funeral march section with the gloomy woodwinds and sinister guitar chord slashes. Although this album influenced symphonic prog bands, there are distinct differences. This album is, compared to the (more popular) symphonic rock that it influenced, less precious and less whimsical, and is darker, jazzier, and noisier, with leaner/shorter compositions (between the five and ten minute mark). review by Heather Mackenzie — undated —

s e a n

As we all should know, this is the album that is widely considered as having launched the progressive rock movement. I see no reason to disagree with this assessment, for as some proto-prog efforts surely predate this album, this is the album that crosses the line into full-blown prog and influenced most of what was to come from the main symphonic bands. Every aspect of this album can be looked at for the way that it set a trend to be followed. The potent, statement-making artwork. The fantasy-laden, grandiose and sometimes tedious lyrics. The transitions from soft, pastoral sections to dark "orchestral" fanfare (simulated on Mellotron of course) or frenetic, jagged instrumental workouts. The construction of longer, "epic" pieces from disparate themes. And, one could remark cynically, the inclusion of a big duff track ("Moonchild") on an album of otherwise good material which would plague many groups, particularly Genesis. So where does that leave this album? Judging by the merits of its influence, it simply should be heard. Judging solely by the content, free of context, it's somewhat less essential but is still worth the price of admission for "21st Century Schizoid Man". review by Sean McFee — undated —

j o e

Some may find a less-than-perfect rating to be heresy, as this is regarded as one of (if not the) premiere landmarks of the progressive rock genre. Well, I like this album a lot, but its staying power hasnīt been as strong to me as later Crimson material. The only song here that I ever play nowadays is "21st Century Schizoid Man." The other tunes, while undeniably sumptuous bits of melancholy ("Epitaph," "Moonchild," verses of the title track) or bedazzlement (the chorus of the title track) saturated with Ian Macdonald's mellotron, also have rather conventional guitar progressions and structures that I find to be a bit over-repetitive. Also, I've never been a big fan of Peter Sinfield's lyrics. There are some lyricists who I think did that sort of style in a much more creative and exciting way (the Incredible String Band comes to mind). But with the exception of "Schizoid Man," where Sinfield hits the bullseye, I find most of his wordscraft not very interesting and often even bloated to an unforgiveable degree. Apart from these criticisms, though, a great debut and love that cover! review by Joe McGlinchey — undated —

e r i c

Don't go away just yet. I know what you are thinking: "everyone gives this one a great rating, so why read another review?". This really was a defining moment for the genre. Crimsons sound was unique, aggressive at one moment with "21st Century Schizoid Man" and atmospheric and full of subtleties on the next like "Moonchild". This does not get five stars for what it was, though; I think it still warrants five stars today. Sinfield's surreal lyrics, a classic album cover (that a CD package can never do justice to), and music of incredible quality. The jazzy wild "21st Century Schizoid Man" would still slay an audience today with its ferocious attitude and the screaming sax lines of Ian McDonald. The band then shifts gears completely with the pastoral "I Talk to the Wind" using acoustic sounds, flutes, woodwinds, and a great melody. "Epitaph" is an emotional powerhouse, with an incredible vocal performance from Greg Lake. It is dripping with Mellotron laden passages and one of their most dramatic songs. "Moonchild" may be the one song that everyone may not enjoy with its experimental mid-section using vibes and percussion to create some different atmospheres and possibly influenced by the jazz experimentation of the times. The title track, again using high drama, closes out the CD. The song again goes from soft subtle passages to the uplifting and powerful chorus. Even if you are not as enamored by this music as I am, as a progressive fan this is a must have. This CD is one of the high points in progressive music and Crimson's career. review by Eric Porter — undated —

b r a n d o n

It's debatable whether this was the album that truly launched the progressive rock movement as we know it (I would say no), but there's no denying that this is a landmark release, and a classic to boot. Though it's not the King Crimson album that gets the most spin time in my CD player, there are some fantastic moments on here. The smoking, distorted jazz-rock of "21st Century Schizoid Man" is a crowd favorite to this day at live Crimso shows; the epic, Mellotron-soaked adventures "Epitaph" and "The Court..." virtually kicked off the symphonic-rock genre; and the flute-led "I Talk to the Wind" wallows in a strange, enchanting beauty. I might argue that the title track is too repetitive, the opener "Schizoid Man" is too distorted and demented, or that the jam that forms 75% of "Moonchild" is boring as hell. But while all those criticisms are true to a certain extent, that's missing the point - anyone that calls himself a prog fan must give this disc a listen, as it's not only a great album, but also a piece of history and a true monument of the genre. review by Brandon Wu — undated —